DSLR's

Kirby.

Squid
have you considered nikon? kit lenses are way better, they're a bit chunkier to handle and the layout is more intuitive... you can pick up a D90 fairly cheap now and they're sick...
*Snip*
I've used Nikon's in the past and personally like the Canon's better. The D90 kit's I've looked at are over $1800 and prefer the value for money with the Canon 550D.

i've got a lowepro flipside 300 that i ride with, it fits: my d90 camera body, 3x YN-460 flashes and gear, a fast fifty, a 70-300, an 18-55, and a 28-105, plus a DH-40 tripod and another flexi-pod for my other flash, and filters, batteries, cards, a pair of sunnies and a sandwich :D
That sounds pretty good, I'll have a look at them I really like the quality of Lowpro's bags and such as I have used them in the past.
Any recommendations with tripods which are compact, light weight and fit this bag?
 
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Babau

Squid
Memory card(s)-Sandisk are the industry leaders here. The faster the write speed, the better. Typically, I prefer to carry a number of smaller cards over a single large capacity one as accidents happen and I'd hate to loose my photos. This is a good start though.
Remember though that there's no point getting a card that's faster than your camera. Ultra is worth it, Extreme is a waste of money unless you're desperate to be able to download them to your computer a bit faster.

On the one vs many debate, I reckon an accident is less likely to happen to a CF card inside my camera than one of 5 floating around my camera bag. Also, changing cards in the middle of shooting is a hassle.
 

Hugle

Likes Dirt
Canon's are great, i shoot with a 40D and love it to bits :) however, i would encourage you to buy body only (or just with an 18-55) and pick up a nifty 50 asap, and work out the rest of your glass from there. If you buy body only (or with the cheaper lens) it will give you +-$500 to sink into something of higher quality and thus exponentially improve your photos. I also reckon its worth giving the xxD cameras a go rather than the xxxD, as they are pitched at a more advanced photographic community and in my opinion are more comfortable to hold, easier to use and produce better pictures :)

I would also recommend checking out these guys, i have bought a few lenses from there and been very impressed by their service, products etc. 50D body only is <$1000....
 

paulb

Likes Dirt
Those prices are very good. I presume they must be grey market? I'm a little uncertain about the line with the rest of the googlebait - 'Full warranty like you would have if you purchased from any other camera store / shop' - does this really apply if it wasn't imported by the official importer
 

Xplor

Likes Dirt
Is it still "Grey Market" if i actually go to D-D Photographics (i live close by)? May sound lil silly but ye? Is it. And grey market is when somthing is purchased from a shop/website that imports there stuff not from canon
 

Morgan123

Likes Dirt
Canon EOS 550D Twin kit with 18-55 and 55-250mm IS Lens Digital SLR Cameras
1 year warranty for Canon $1200

Very tempting in the close future...
 

AngoXC

Wheel size expert
Is it still "Grey Market" if i actually go to D-D Photographics (i live close by)? May sound lil silly but ye? Is it. And grey market is when somthing is purchased from a shop/website that imports there stuff not from canon
*DDP are the importers who buy stock overseas, either directly from Canon etc, or from a reseller. This is as opposed to purchasing stock from the Austrailian office of the respective supplier. Whatever means, be it over the counter, or online, dealing with DDP gives you an 'import'.Warranty wise, I believe I was incorrect before. Some of DDP's porducts come with an International Warranty (where you just send it to the Manufacturer's service center) but none come with a specific Australian warranty. This means for repairs etc, you need to send it overseas.

Some importers will offer their own in-house warranty where they are the warrantor and repairs go through them.

Bit more about the whole operation here.

Canon EOS 550D Twin kit with 18-55 and 55-250mm IS Lens Digital SLR Cameras1 year warranty for Canon $1200
*That's a good deal, especially with the Canon warranty, but I highly doubt it's Australian Stock consdering such a kit puts you back around $1649 at CameraHouse.
 

wombat

Lives in a hole
Is it still "Grey Market" if i actually go to D-D Photographics (i live close by)? May sound lil silly but ye? Is it. And grey market is when somthing is purchased from a shop/website that imports there stuff not from canon
It is; 'grey import' just means a product that was brought into the country through means other than the manufacturers official distribution channel. Whether you buy it through an online or bricks & mortar store is irrelevant.
Whether 'grey' is a problem for you is another matter altogether.
 

jaebo

Likes Dirt
to be honest i think you should save your money.
get something like a canon s90 or g11 and learn the fundamentals of manual photography.
they both have video capability too.
having a dslr won't make you a better photographer. so many people go out and buy a dslr and simply use it as a point and shoot. it's the totally wrong mentality imo.

if you buy a lower end dslr, after 6 months you'll probably want to upgrade anyways. 550d navigation is a pain (as with all the lower end models). canon kit lenses are poo. nikon kit's lenses good value for money. (i personally shoot on canon)
i would have suggested buying a 40d and putting good glass on it, but you said you want video.
instead, save up and get a canon 7d yes it's more money but it's perfect for what you want and you won't grow out of it any time soon.
tamron make great lenses for the price.

read reviews from dpreview, the digital picture, bob atkins, fred miranda and ken rockwell. also check out photography-on-the.net
 

AngoXC

Wheel size expert
having a dslr won't make you a better photographer. so many people go out and buy a dslr and simply use it as a point and shoot. it's the totally wrong mentality imo.
True, but a DSLR is a stepping stone and everyone has to start somewhere with it.
The manner in which a person utilizes an SLR is their own prerogative. Who are we to judge them on how they use it? Infact, the beauty of current consumer DSLR are that they are designed such that one can use it as a point and shoot and recieve good results. People take up photography for many different reasons, for example, to nurture creative talents, or just something there to capture the moment. Whether those memories are captured in 'AUTO' is hardly important.

if you buy a lower end dslr, after 6 months you'll probably want to upgrade anyways.
I think Canon make a stellar entry-level camera and the 550D is a perfect example of this. The XXXD series are, in my opinion, some of the most popular cameras around so it just goes to show that Canon are doing something right. Unlike say the budget Nikon SLRs which lack 'essentials' like AF drive motor and the likes, the Canon houses all you'd ever need.
Layout is pretty darn good for a camera of its type (less menu-hunting as opposed to Nikon), and it has compatibility with pro-grade glass (which for Canon, comes in at alot cheaper than Nikon stuff). I've never been overly fussed with Canon's layout but I do find such cameras intuative and this is certainly welcome, especially for a prospective user.

I'm not really sure how you 'outgrow' a camera per say. Unless you really are planning on getting into photography in a big way, there really isn't a need to upgrade as the 550D

i would have suggested buying a 40d and putting good glass on it...save up and get a canon 7d...yes it's more money but it's perfect for what you want and you won't grow out of it any time soon.
You've already suggested that he consider a Canon point-and-shoot, then claim Canon's top of the line APS-C camera would suit perfect? I'm sorry but you need to crawl before you can walk. Both the 40D and the 7D have a higher level of complexity to them which would cause even the best of us to revert to 'AUTO'. Additionally, they fall well out of the OP's budget. Using this analogy, you should just go full frame to get it over with.

I'm sorry if this sounds a little standoffish but consumer DSLR's have their place and I think this setting is where they're best suited.
 

paulb

Likes Dirt
I think the main reason to use an SLR instead of a P&S for casual photography is shot to shot speed and to a lesser extent ordinary shutter lag. You also get better focus technology, better optics and bigger sensors all of which incidentally give you better image quality. And its hugely expandable.

If you shoot moving subjects the speed even a cheap SLR shoots will blow your mind after a P&S. When you discover you can pan and take multiple shots, not just one coming in and one distantly receding...

The main reaosn to use a P&S is that it will fit in your pocket and it's less likely to upset security guards

If you're willing to carry an SLR, don't be afraid to use it as a point and shoot. But it may tempt you to do more. I think as SLRs have become more affordable many more people are getting into photography, which is a good thing
 

jaebo

Likes Dirt
ango xc,

points taken.
i had said that the p and s useage of dslr was 'imo' ;)
i personally dislike the navigation on the lower models and for 1k less and 1kg less i would opt for an s90 or g11.
i would also prefer a photo taken on a cheaper camera that is composed well, to a photo that is taken on an expensive camera poorly.
i agree that auto is a greta feature, however why shoot it on a dslr and not a p and s? if you're shooting on auto, you're probably not going to notice a lot of difference in the image anyway or gain an understanding of what each setting achieves and does in a photo.
p and s' can achieve fantastic results these days.

i don't really know anyone who's ever downgraded once getting in to photography, rather people upgrade and lose money selling their second hand camera gear to buy a better body/lenses.

i think for the budget op had, 40d is great, $600ish for body then plenty of money for a good lens and accessories. i think the navigation is intuitive and easier/faster to access than lower models, plus it has auto features. but then they want movie capability.
given i've said that i don't like the navigation of the lower models, the 7d was the logical answer for me to suggest.
so my actions plan would be:
get a model that is not a dslr that has av, tv and m capability. save 1k
learn how to use the settings well and compose photos.
save and buy a mid market dslr second hand in a year or so.

this way there is no loss in money as the p and s can still be used as a carry round camera and they won't 'outgrow' the camera they buy.

having said this, a mate bought the nikon d90 with twin lens kit for $1700 with $200 cashback. certainly worth checking out for that price.


paulb,

i agree, more people getting in to photography is a good thing and the digital age has brought an expensive hobby to the masses at affordable prices.
 

Xplor

Likes Dirt
Very impressive

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fqn6mWuqwE0&hd=1

EDIT: Went to a shop at bankstown, and they are selling 550D for $1230, cheapest ive seen it thats not in "grey market" and Grace, the lady who works there is really helpfull and gave the camera to me and put in some batterys for me to muck around with it, was pretty surprised she did that considering im 15yr old kid and didnt have a parent with me. So customer service is good ;) She also said she can do a good price and bundle in filter & memory card etc.

Website HERE
 
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